Open-Faced Crab Salad Sandwiches

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 8-ounce package imitation crabmeat, chopped

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup chopped celery

1 loaf (8 ounces) unsliced French bread, halved lengthwise

In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Stir in the crab, cheese, red pepper, onions and celery. Spoon over bread halves. Place on a baking sheet; broil 5 inches from the heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned watching closely for desired doneness. If using the entire loaf of bread slice into 3-inch pieces.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Spirit of Peace, adapted from Light and Tasty Apr./May 2005

Raw Seaweed Salad

3/4 ounce dried wakame seaweed (whole or cut)

3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons Asian toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1 small Granny Smith apple

2 scallions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Soak seaweed in warm water, covered for 5 minutes. Drain, then squeeze out excess water. If wakame is uncut, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips.

Stir together vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, ginger, garlic in a bowl until sugar is dissolved. Cut apple into 1/4-inch dice and add to dressing with seaweed, scallions, and cilantro, tossing to combine well. Sprinkle salad with sesame seeds.

To make this a bowl add some imitation crab, or other seafood, or even some teriyaki chicken

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Spirit of Peace, from The Good Food Store, Missoula, MT 

Baked Halibut with Mayonnaise, Pickled Green Peppercorns and Parmesan

4 four-ounce halibut fish steaks, thawed

1 teaspoon garlic salt

4 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 teaspoons pickled green peppercorns

3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil an oven-safe dish and place the halibut into it in a single layer. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Top each steak with 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, then sprinkle lightly with the green peppercorns and the parmesan cheese. Put in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Catholic Community, adapted from a friend's description of a recent meal

Bay Scallop and Prosciutto Ramen Bowl

4 ounces bay scallops, thawed

4 thin slices prosciutto

4 cups water

2 3-ounce packages of chicken-flavored ramen

1 chicken-flavored spice packet

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place prosciutto on cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes until crispy, being careful not to burn. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Turn oven temperature to warm.

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the noodles to the water and cook for about 3 minutes until noodles are soft. Drain all the water from the pan, add the contents of the spice packet, and mix well. Evenly distribute the noodles into 2 individual serving bowls, crumble two slices of prosciutto over the noodles in each bowl, and put in the oven to keep warm while cooking the scallops.

In the same saucepan that the noodles cooked in, melt the butter over low heat, add the scallops, and cook for about 2 or 3 minutes until done. Add a few turns of fresh cracked black pepper. Remove the bowls from the oven and divide the scallops and butter sauce evenly between the two bowls; serve immediately.

Serves two.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Catholic Community

Sicilian Oven-Baked Tuna

4 4-ounce tuna belly steaks

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

10 green olives chopped coarsely about 2/3 cup

1/4 cup capers, chopped if large

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley leaves

2 tablespoons finely chopped mint leaves

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/4 cup crushed seasoned croutons

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the tuna steaks in a lightly oiled baking dish.

Sprinkle the olives on top, then the capers, tomatoes, juice and all, parsley, and mint.

Season with salt and pepper.

Cover the seasonings with the crushed croutons and drizzle the remaining olive oil over.

Bake until tuna is firm about 30 minutes. Serve immediately with linguini if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

Submitted by Cathy Burleson, Blessed Trinity Community, adapted from A Mediterranean Feast by Clifford A. Wright